I would think rather than a fixed number of years experience would include a variety of locations, enough animals taken to feel totally comfortable in ones abilities. Maybe the ability to put a friend in the right spot and want him to truly succeed, not just get him out of the way so you can kill something. There are so many other things that could add to a persons experience level. Wouldn't you think a guy who's hunted a variety of game successfully with a variety of equipment(say recurve, long bow, compound etc) has some vast experience edges over someone that's just started. Since I feel experience should have a test of time and constantly taking of animals, I'd say you're still a rookie after 5 years. Even in states with liberal limits, the number of kills isn't the key, it's consistancy over time. I'd say anyone who's done it constantly over a period of 10 years is starting to get there. Short of that, they're working on it. I knew a guy that hunted for 22 years before he shot a deer. He'll never get it.[8D]